Recent years have witnessed the development of diverse recording apparatuses for recording broadcast contents (TV programs, etc.). The apparatuses include video recorders utilizing recording media such as HDDs (Hard Disk Drives) and DVDs (Digital Versatile Disks).
A number of techniques such as those disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Nos. 2002-152639 and Hei 10-341381 have been proposed for use with the apparatuses. These techniques constitute processes intended to improve the operability of the apparatuses and enhance their users' convenience.
Some of these apparatuses for receiving and recording broadcast contents contain illustratively a plurality of TV broadcast tuners each so that two or more TV programs may be recorded simultaneously.
For example, an apparatus using a HDD as its recording medium and including two circuit blocks with tuner and encoding capabilities each for recording can record a plurality of broadcast contents simultaneously using the single HDD on a time division basis. The same feature can be implemented by apparatuses each including a plurality of HDDs or having both a HDD and a DVD drive.
In other words, a plurality of broadcast contents can be recorded by diverse setups made up of varying types and numbers of recording media. Provided two conditions are met: that a plurality of broadcast contents be received simultaneously, and that the signals of the received broadcast contents be encoded simultaneously for recording purposes.
Conventional recording apparatuses equipped with a plurality of tuners each generally use one of the tuners to receive a broadcast content for real-time live viewing, and other tuners for receiving other broadcast contents to be recorded. In this case, a plurality of broadcast contents are not assumed to be recorded simultaneously.
Other conventional recorders capable of recording contents on a plurality of recording media such as a VHS tape and an 8-mm video tape incorporate encoding circuits corresponding to the respective recording media. When making (or reserving) a recording, the user of such a recorder specifies which of the recording media is to be used for the recording. In other words, the user selects one of a plurality of recording function blocks when designating a desired recording medium.
That is not the case with the apparatus which uses a single HDD as its recording medium and which records a plurality of broadcast contents on the medium simultaneously as mentioned above.
If a recorder has multiple sets of tuners and encoding circuits for recording (these sets of components are referred as the recording facilities or recording blocks hereunder), that recorder can record a plurality of broadcast contents simultaneously as described. Where a single HDD is used, the user remains unaware of the recording medium being utilized for recording. There are other circumstances in which the user is unaware of any recording medium for use in recording, such as where each of the recording facilities incorporated corresponds to a plurality of recording media (e.g., multiple-HDD setups).
When the user is not aware of the selection of recording media, it means the user is unaware of how may recording blocks are incorporated or what kinds of facilities these blocks are.
Where a recording apparatus incorporates a plurality of recording blocks capable of making recording reservations, it is conceivable that the tuner contained in one of the recording blocks is used for real-time viewing.
Being capable of recording contents simultaneously signifies that different contents broadcast in the same time slot can be reserved for unattended recording. From the viewpoint of managing recording reservation information, that makes it necessary to reserve recordings with each of the recording blocks furnished.
When a tuner in one of the recording blocks is used for real-time viewing, it is preferred that any reservation for unattended recording be made with another of the recording blocks, i.e., not with the one containing the tuner for the real-time viewing application.
It follows that the user, whenever making a recording reservation, must select a particular recording block with which to make the reservation.
However, asking the user to select any of the recording blocks for recording reservation can be confusing. The user can become unsure of what to do or how to proceed or may be constrained to spend an inordinately long time doing what needs to be done.
Furthermore, asking the user to avoid using the recording block assigned for real-time viewing as much as possible when reserving a recording can also be baffling. The user may well be mystified about the purportedly different recording blocks that the user is not aware of in the first place.